Tag: Savior

“Kingdom First” Plans for the New Year

Matthew 25:23
His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”

The start of the New Year is often kicked off with many articles and speeches about new beginnings, new year’s resolutions and plans to start anew. What if we focused on the finish instead of the start? After all, when life comes to the finish line, who does not want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

We work our entire lives for rewards here on earth, yet ultimately our greatest rewards will come in the eternal place that has been prepared for us by Our Savior King. Almighty God reserves special reward and special honor for that day when “each man’s work will become evident” and “he shall receive a reward.” 1 Cor 3:13-14

These rewards are referred to as “crowns” that are being set aside for God’s servants. The Bible speaks of at least five crowns:

  • The imperishable crown awarded to those believers who consistently bring the flesh under the Holy Spirit’s control. (1 Cor 9:25)
  • The crown of exultation awarded to those servants who are faithful to declare the gospel. (Phil 4:1,1 Thess 2:19-20)
  • The crown of righteousness awarded to those who live each day with eternity’s values in view. (2 Tim 4:7-8)
  • The crown of life awarded to those who endure trials, loving the Savior all the way. (James 1:12)
  • The crown of glory awarded to those who faithfully shepherd the flock. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

There is no reward on earth that can compare to earning crowns from Almighty God that we can lay at the feet of Jesus when we enter our eternal homes. There is no joy on earth that can compare to the joy of being in heaven with Our Lord.

Let us set our hearts on finishing well. Let us place our earthly desires for rewards in proper relationship with our desires to have Almighty God recognize us for the evidence or our works as we put His kingdom first in all matters of the heart. Let us make our New Year’s plans around joining the joy of Our Master.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for setting aside special rewards for us in Your kingdom. We thank you, Jesus, for making it possible for us to stand before the Father to receive our rewards. Precious Savior, we long for the time when we will be able to place our crowns at Your feet and join You in Your joy. As we move into our new year, may Your grace, O Lord, provide the wisdom and strength that we need to seek Your kingdom first in all things that concern us in this world. We pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire us to set our minds on finishing well. We ask all these things in the name of Our Blessed Hope and Assurance, Jesus Christ.

At Christmas Time Children Teach Us All We Need to Know about Our Heavenly Father

Matthew 18:3
Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

What a wonderful time Christmas is to a small child in our culture. They go to bed on Christmas Eve eagerly anticipating the arrival of the gift giver. They burst from their beds on Christmas morning knowing that they will find gifts with their names on them under the Christmas tree. Many of the gifts will be there simply for their pleasure. Other gifts will be there for their comfort and provision. They receive them all with great joy. All the while, they never doubt that the gift giver will provide for them that which they could not provide for themselves.

This is the type of reliance that God wants to see from all of us. God wants us to rely on Him for everything without ever considering that we could provide for ourselves just as well. Of course, the gifts that He gives to us are far more valuable than anything we could find under a tree. Almighty God provides us with the gift of life. He sustains our lives with every single breath we take. Along the way, He sees that our pleasures, our provisions and our comforts are taken care of. Then He provides the greatest gift of all – eternal life in His heavenly kingdom. All He ever asks from us is to accept His Son as Our Savior.

Let us learn to respond to Our Heavenly Father like small children. Let us run to Him for everything. Let us seek the arms of our gracious Father whether we need comfort, provision or direction. Let us rejoice in knowing that He has the power to provide whatever it is that we need or desire. Most of all, let us completely trust in Him for the true treasures of His eternal kingdom.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the blessings and the benefits that we receive as Your children. We bless the name of Jesus who made it possible for us to inherit Your kingdom and all of its provision and protection for all eternity. We pray, Father, that we be renewed in our minds so that we may become as simple, as humble and as teachable as small children. May we discard forever all the self-seeking lifestyles, distrust and deceit that we learn from the world. May we walk in the excellence of Our Savior. We ask all these things in the name of Our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

The Joy Found Through Spiritual Discernment

1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Check out the news. The foolishness of carnal men and women rejecting the things of the Spirit of God are rampant in our society. Carnal men and women look upon the things in the Bible as absurd and contrary to reason. They find the truths in God’s Holy Word to be weak and distasteful. They are quick to ridicule anything having to do with Jesus and delight in bashing anyone who stands up for their Christian beliefs.

It is easy to see why Jesus said that it was so hard for the rich man to get into heaven. In his comfort, the rich man feels no need for a Savior. The rich man finds all of his satisfaction from the things of the world. Unfortunately for the rich man, he will soon enough find out that the cravings of his flesh will never be satisfied. His flesh will always demand more than he is ultimately able to attain.

Fortunately for all of us, the Creator placed a void in our hearts that can only be completely and perfectly filled by Jesus. Nothing of the flesh can bring the satisfaction that is derived from fulfilling the spiritual need that is within us. If we will recognize the folly in our carnal ways and surrender to Jesus Christ as our Savior, we will find satisfaction far beyond anything the earth promises or can deliver. Only when we are inspired by the Holy Spirit to submit to the governance of the King of Kings, and not to the kings of the earth, will we receive the fullness of life that Almighty God planned for us.

Let us seek spiritual discernment. Let us learn how to reject the empty promises of this world. Let us flourish in our joy as we learn to live in the fullness of the indwelling spirit of Jesus Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for creating a void in our hearts that only You can fill. We bless the name of Jesus who died for our sins so that we can be deemed worthy to become His disciples and live under His Lordship. We pray, Lord, for the strength and the wisdom to see the folly in the things of the earth. May we live in the fullness of Our Lord, Our Master and Our King. We ask all these things in the Precious Name of Jesus Christ.

The Limitless Productivity Provided Through Our Relationship with Jesus

John 17:22
The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.

Jesus prayed that all of His disciples might be as one, united in the fullness of the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Ghost. In this fullness, Jesus wanted all of His disciples to have the glory that He shared with the Father. He wanted His disciples to have the holy character that He had. He wanted His disciples to lead fruit-filled lives supernaturally inspired by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew and taught that this was all possible through Him.

A life like the one that Jesus prayed for His disciples is possible for each of us. As written in Psalm 139, each one of us is wonderfully made by God. Just as God created every aspect of the universe, He created each of us to fulfill a unique and wonderful element of His plan for all eternity. Through His Son, he released capabilities to us that are beyond our imagination.

Our flesh will always limit us as we try to reach the awesome and productive place that is ours through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We will only reach the fullness of our lives when we surrender completely to Our Savior so that He can give us the glory that was given to Him. We are freed to become all that the Creator of the Universe planned for us to be when we let go of our carnal lives and grasp on to our supernatural lives through Jesus Christ.

Let us become one with the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Let us fulfill the unique purposes that Our Father in heaven set aside for us before we were even formed in our mothers’ wombs. Let us rejoice in knowing that we will stand in the glory that Jesus has set aside for each of us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that we were formed in our mothers’ wombs with the exact set of capabilities that You set aside for us to be able to serve You for all eternity. We praise You that we were fearfully and wonderfully made in accordance with Your perfect plans. We pray, Lord, that Your Holy Spirit will reveal to us the frailties of our flesh that grieve You, so that we may turn away from them all. May we grasp the fullness of the way everlasting that You have provided us through Your Son. May we be one with You and one with Holy Spirit just as the Son is one with You. We ask all these things in the name of the Son of the Most High God, Jesus Christ.

Missing What God Has in Store for Us

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

A true disciple of Jesus is one that walks in the same anointed way that Jesus walked. A true disciple follows His Master’s example on a daily basis. A true disciple is energetic and passionate about every task assigned by the Master. A true disciple of Jesus Christ is one that denies self and takes up the Cross that Jesus has prepared for him or her.

During our toddler ages, we are already beginning to express our own individuality and independence. It is during this time that most of us realize for the first time that we are our own person and can make choices for ourselves. Unfortunately, one of our favorite words during these early ages is “no.” Our rebellious nature wants to reject all the good counsel of our parents in order to fully express our own independence. This independent behavior has a tendency to carry over into our relationship with Almighty God. We set a pattern early for ourselves which establishes the importance of our desires over loving authority. We establish lifestyles in which our decisions are made based on the needs of our flesh and not on the desires of Almighty God for our lives. Ultimately, we miss much that God has in store of us.

Let us shake loose from the independence that we have strived so hard to attain throughout our lives. Let us learn to deny ourselves and surrender completely to the will of Our Savior. Let us follow the path that Our Redeemer laid out for us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the grace that You provide so that we are able to take up the Cross of Your Son and follow Him. We thank You for Your patience with us as we learn to deny our sinful natures, our ungodliness and our worldly lusts. We pray, Lord, for the strength to exercise the humility, zeal, patience and self-denial that the Cross demands. May we carry out every duty for Your glory and for the gain of Your kingdom. We ask all these things in the name of the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, Jesus Christ.

The Victory Jesus Won for Us on the Cross

Galatians 5:24
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The works of the flesh are many and are manifest throughout the lives of all men and women. Unfortunately, there is much in the urgings of the flesh that seems attractive to pursue. If uncontested by the spirit, the affections and lusts of the flesh are the things that close the doors to heaven.

The endless pursuit of life in the flesh leads to a constant and unavoidable destiny that is certain to be deviant from the way, the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ. Living in the flesh forms a path that is not compatible with maintaining a course of positive spiritual growth. Deterioration and destruction are inevitable.

Only by turning to Our Savior in order to pursue a life in the spirit, can we overcome the inherent flaws of our flesh. Only by focusing on our relationship with Our Savior, instead of ourselves, are we able to avoid destruction. Only by hanging on to the Cross of Our Savior are we able to put to death the desires of our flesh. Only by surrendering completely to the will of the Father will we find supernatural victory over the things that torment us.

Let us cling to the indwelling spirit of Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us claim our victories over the passions and desires of our flesh that were crucified with Him on the Cross. Let us celebrate the joy of living in the fullness of the presence of Our Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing the sacrifice of Your Son so that we may live in the spirit and not in the flesh. We praise the name of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. We rejoice in knowing that we can overcome all the frailties of our flesh because of the victory that Jesus won for us on the Cross. We pray for the grace to maintain a constant focus on Our Savior so that we may be freed from the stirrings of the corrupt nature that remains in our flesh. Father, we seek the fullness of our lives in Christ so that we may bear much fruit for Your glory. We ask all these things in the name of Our Crucified King, Jesus Christ.

Only One Way to Heaven is Deemed Acceptable

Hebrews 10:14
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Under the law in the old testament, regular sacrifices were required to atone for sins. The high priests served as mediators, offering up the blood sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. The people had no access to their own atonement for sin. More importantly, they had no way of individually insuring that they would be acceptable to Almighty God. This all changed when Jesus ushered in the new testament. Under the new testament, the law was replaced by grace and all men were enabled to access their own atonement through one mediator, Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No man can get into heaven without recognizing the sacrifice of the precious Lamb of God. No matter who we are or what we have, reinstatement with God the Father is only possible by accepting Jesus Christ as Our Savior. No matter how vile, corrupt and sinful we may be today, we can receive the eternal life that God promised and made available to all men through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Salvation is not earned, but accepted by every man who calls on the name of Jesus as his Savior. For the shed blood of Jesus has the power to wash away all that separates us from the Father. There is no other way that is deemed acceptable.

Let us live in continuous thanksgiving for the One who exchanged His divine station in heaven for a lowly station on earth so that He could fulfill His Father’s plan for salvation for all men. Let us live in continuous praise for the Lamb of God who was the necessary sacrifice for us to be able to exchange our carnal station on earth for a sanctified place with Him in heaven for all eternity. Let us boldly proclaim what He has done for us so that those around us may know Him and claim Him as their Savior.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your new covenant which established Your Son as the only sacrifice necessary to fulfill the law for all men to be deemed acceptable before You. We exalt Your name for providing a way for us to receive the eternal inheritance that we could not earn on our own. We pray, Lord, that we will always be mindful of the suffering of Our Savior. May our lives reflect our thanksgiving for His sacrifice. May our joy in Jesus Christ draw others to Him. We ask all these things in the name of the precious Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

The Joy of a Fully Repentant Life

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Our merciful Lord bears with our wicked world. He defers His anger as so many, all of us included at some level, turn to idolatry, superstition, heresy, disobedience, profaneness, immorality and general lack of reverence for Almighty God. Through it all, Our Father in heaven is steadfast in seeking His will that none shall perish. Having already sacrificed His Son to atone for our sins, He sends His Holy Spirit to set in us a desire to repent of our sins. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins so that we see the desperate need that we have to accept the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ.

Aided by the Holy Spirit to accept the atoning work of Our Savior, we are washed clean of our sins. We then enter into a new period of repentance as we battle our flesh daily. God knows that we must still deal with the corrupt nature of our flesh, so He provides the the Holy Spirit to stand beside us. In our continuous battle against our sin nature, the Holy Spirit will never leave our side. God’s endless patience is evident.

During this daily battle of sanctification, the Holy Spirit shows us our sins in an entirely different light. Instead of just seeing our sins as the iniquity that damns us, we begin to see our sins in light of the pain and suffering that they caused and continue to cause Our Lord. The Holy Spirit helps us take the agony we experience when we realize what we have done and turn it into sorrow and repentance as we consider our past, present and future sin. The Holy Spirit then guides us into a deeper relationship with Our Savior. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit strengthens us as we fall and leads us to victory over sin, sanctifying us for our eternal place of glory.

Let us seek the Holy Spirit for the supernatural aid that we need to recognize and fully repent of our sins. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts to reveal those dark spots that we keep hidden even from ourselves. Let us learn to live in the joy of a fully repentant life.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your perfect love and forgiveness as expressed through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus. We ask for Your forgiveness, Father, for our sins that sent Your Son to the Cross on our behalf. We praise Your Name for the patience that You have with us as we continue to struggle with our sin natures. We thank You for providing the Holy Spirit to aid and guide us as we battle against our flesh. We pray, Lord, that the Holy Spirit will strengthens us to turn away from the darkness in our lives today so that we may turn toward the marvelous light of Our Savior for all eternity. We ask all these things in the name of the Chief Cornerstone of our lives, Jesus Christ.

The Gifts of Our Constant Companion – Holy Spirit

Romans 8:11
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as Our Savior, we are immediately and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit of the Lord. The Holy Spirit works in and through us to accomplish the will of God. His power leads us, convicts us, teaches us, and equips us to do the work that God has set aside for us.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we receive all of His gifts: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We are provided these gifts so that we may proclaim the Good News of the Gospel through our living testimony.

The Holy Spirit’s powerful indwelling is an amazing gift we should never take lightly. Because the Spirit of the Lord is within us, we also receive the powers that Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would receive by way of the Spirit of God resting upon Him. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed that Jesus would be endowed by the Holy Spirit. “And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him–the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:2

Let us live in the confidence and the power that the Holy Spirit gives us. Let us use the wisdom and understanding we are given to perceive the truth that God reveals to us so that we are able to convey it to others. Let us use the counsel and might that we have been given to originate, plan and execute the work that God calls us to do. Let us take our new found knowledge and fear of the Lord so we are able to live our lives surrendered to Jesus Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gifts and the power that we receive through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We praise the name of Jesus who made it possible for us to receive this supernatural blessing that empowers us far beyond our natural capabilities. We pray that the influence and power of the Holy Spirit will be manifest in all that we do. We ask that we may be made fruitful vessels of the fullness of Your Holy Spirit working in our lives. We ask all these things in the name of Our Keeper and Our King, Jesus Christ.

Giving Thanks for the Greatest Blessing in Life

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

During our recent Thanksgiving holiday now gone by, we all took time to pause and thank our Heavenly Father for all of the love, protection and provision that we have enjoyed in our lives. We may have even been humble enough to give thanks for our salvation. But did we take time to consider and give thanks for the awesome gift of grace that we receive from Almighty God each day? With the Christmas season of gift giving rushing toward us, let us be sure to add the gift of grace to our Thanksgiving list.

The ever flowing grace of God is what makes all the other blessings in our lives relevant. Not one of us would even accept the gift of salvation if we had not first received the gift of grace. Our sinful, human nature without the grace of God is simply incapable of accepting the idea that a Savior is needed for entry into the eternal kingdom of God. The greatest blessing that we receive in life, for which we should give thanks every day, is the supernatural grace that we are provided which allows us to acknowledge that we are destitute without Our Savior and we are powerless without His presence in our lives.

With the cherished moments of our Thanksgiving holiday fading away, let us take the opportunity to give thanks for the supernatural gift of God’s grace. Let us always be mindful that only through the grace of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that our eyes are opened and our hearts are prepared so that we can see and accept the way, the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we give thanks today for Your ever flowing gift of grace. We pray, Lord, that we will be acutely aware of how far we fall short of Your glory without Your grace. May our hunger for Your grace release the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May the Holy Spirit lift us up into the fullness of our lives in Christ. May the world know us by the fruit that we bear because of our acceptance of Your grace. We ask all these things in the name of the One who is the ultimate evidence of Your grace, Your Son, Jesus Christ.